Sports Beat: Sub-head was offensive to FSU faithful

Published: Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 06:01 PM.

Many times it isn’t what’s in the headline that a reader takes away from a story. Often it’s one line from lower down in the article. Sometimes one word.

For many Florida State football fans, that probably was the case in Saturday’s section in a story shared from the Tallahassee Democrat that detailed an upcoming battle for No. 1 quarterback in spring football drills.

Die-hard FSU fans knew that competition was forthcoming. The first sub-head in the notes package, however, was more significant: “No offensive coordinator.”

Head coach Jimbo Fisher said he will not have an offensive coordinator on the current staff.

Ka-boom!

Cue the malcontents.

That means more of the same on offense in 2013, which is unacceptable for the fans who believe that in some ways Fisher is the heretic preventing FSU from returning to prominence in the Top 10 of college football’s elite.

Many times it isn’t what’s in the headline that a reader takes away from a story. Often it’s one line from lower down in the article. Sometimes one word.

For many Florida State football fans, that probably was the case in Saturday’s section in a story shared from the Tallahassee Democrat that detailed an upcoming battle for No. 1 quarterback in spring football drills.

Die-hard FSU fans knew that competition was forthcoming. The first sub-head in the notes package, however, was more significant: “No offensive coordinator.”

Head coach Jimbo Fisher said he will not have an offensive coordinator on the current staff.

Ka-boom!

Cue the malcontents.

That means more of the same on offense in 2013, which is unacceptable for the fans who believe that in some ways Fisher is the heretic preventing FSU from returning to prominence in the Top 10 of college football’s elite.

Their argument is diminished by the Seminoles’ 12-2 finish in 2012. Or the fact that 10- and 9-win seasons during Fisher’s first two years were improvements from the tail end of the Bobby Bowden era. Or the offensive production last season.

But the anti-Fisher sentiment exits hereabouts, and don’t you just know that it resounds louder in certain boroughs in Tallahassee.

Seminole supporters also need to realize that a vegetarian schedule needed upgrading for FSU to be included in the national discussion. That appears to be a work in progress. Rather than Murray State and Savannah State, Florida State at least has added Idaho and Nevada in 2013, which is like a strong Class 5A high school team in Florida replacing two junior varsity opponents with schools from Class 1A and 2A.

Oklahoma State awaits in the 2014 opener, Boise State has been added down the road and the ACC’s inclusion of Syracuse and Pitt, as well as part-timer Notre Dame should in the least make a less-than-appealing lineup somewhat formidable.

But that’s not what rankles some of the faithful. They either don’t like Fisher’s play calling from the sideline, think it’s an imperfect viewpoint from which to revise in-game strategy compared to the press box, believe that a fully vested offensive coordinator is mandatory for the success of any prolific offense, or as often is the case check all of the above.

And that doesn’t include those who plain don’t like the successor to Bowden who has been calling plays since 2007 when he was the coach in waiting.

To them, it really doesn’t matter who survives the battle and becomes the starting quarterback in the fall. They contend that if the general decides to attack the most-fortified flank it really doesn’t matter how talented or determined the troops are.

Of course, the amplification of dissatisfaction will be muffled by one simple qualifier — winning, and another lofty national ranking.

Should the Seminoles take a step back?

Ka-boom!

Dissent is going to reach many more ears and throats, and eventually become a powerful voice.